Governor Livingston’s Ryan Davis Signs to Play Golf at Penn State

Content Options

Gov. Livingston senior Ryan Davis [surrounded by friends, Coach Sharon Leahy and GL Administration] signed a National Letter of Intent to play golf at Penn State.
Credits: Gov. Livingston High School

Gov. Livingston senior Ryan Davis signed his National Letter of Intent to play golf at Penn State University.
Credits: Gov. Livingston High School

Credits: Gov. Livingston High School

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - If there ever was a time in which Ryan Davis “being in the right place at the right time” truly worked in his favor, it came in the summer of 2013.

Davis, a Governor Livingston senior golfer who’s preparing for his final high school season, was participating in a golf outing. It just so happened that Penn State head golf coach Greg Nye was at the same outing.

The funny part of this story is that Nye did not go to the outing with the intentions of watching Davis. Nye was there for another recruit.

Davis went about business as usual and took a few shots at the outing. Those few shots impressed Nye so much that Nye immediately approached Davis at the event and vowed to keep in touch with him.

Fast forward two years later to August of 2015, and Davis received a scholarship offer from Nye to come play golf for his program.

Davis didn’t need much time to ponder the offer. Two weeks later, Davis accepted Nye’s offer to come to Penn State and recently signed his national letter-of-intent. Davis chose Penn State over offers from other schools such as Rutgers, Loyola Maryland, Maryland, and Virginia.

Davis is not second-guessing his decision to golf for the Nittany Lions one bit.

“I’m very excited in general for the opportunity to continue my golf career at Penn State,” Davis said. “I love the coaches up there, the guys on the team are very nice, and I just loved the overall feel to the campus.”

The fact that Nye’s program consistently ranks in the top 25 nationally also played a role in Davis’ decision.

“The program at Penn State has been doing very well,” Davis said. “As of now, the program ranks 19th I believe and have been getting good recruits over the years. The team has a very good future which is huge for me and my development.”

Davis has done a nice job developing during his time at Governor Livingston. Davis has been among the top performers for the Highlanders the past few years and has won three consecutive individual Union County Tournament championships.

While the past three years have been nothing short of spectacular for him and his team, Davis believes this upcoming season can be even better. Governor Livingston fans should not only expect an even better season for the team, but a better overall golfer in Davis.

Davis spent this past summer training at Ben Shear Golf in Scotch Plains. Davis used his time at Ben Shear to not only fine-tune his swing but also build his physical strength.

Davis spent a lot of time working out at Ben Shear because he’s not the type of athlete to rest on his laurels. He’s constantly looking for ways to improve which is a trait his high school coach loves about him.

“I’ve enjoyed watching Ryan improve his game and become more successful over the past few years,” Governor Livingston head coach Sharon Leahy said. “I know next year he’ll continue to impress Penn State with his accomplishments.”

The chance to join a winning program and receive a top-notch education is the perfect combination for a talent like Davis who’s also enjoyed much success in the classroom.

Davis plans to major in Economics at Penn State and will not have to worry about slacking in the classroom. Nye takes as much pride in his student-athletes’ work in the classroom as their performance on the golf course.

Nye’s teams consistently achieve overall GPAs of 3.0 or higher, and getting a student-athlete like Davis whose work ethic can be described as “unbelievable” will only continue that string for the next four years.

“I would say my strong work ethic is what allowed me to get to this point of having the opportunity to play golf at a Division 1 school like Penn State,” Davis said. “Once I set my mind to something, I do my best to get it done and never quit trying to do it. I grind every day and spend as much time as possible working on my game.”

For Davis, some of that time came during the summer when he received an opportunity that most young golfers can only dream of. Davis qualified to participate in the Junior PGA Championship. And while he didn’t perform as well as he wished, Davis got an up-close look at one of golf’s biggest stages.

“Getting a chance to play in the Junior PGA championship is the high point of my career thusfar,” Davis said. “It was a big accomplishment for me and an overall cool experience.”

If Davis does indeed receive the opportunity to play professional golf after Penn State, at least he has the Junior PGA Championship under his belt.

In the meantime, Davis is just appreciative of the opportunity to golf for the Nittany Lions and is determined to take the program to even higher levels.

“Penn State is getting a student-athlete with a great drive to succeed and that will never quit at anything,” Davis said. “I’m going to buckle down, get good grades, and bring a lot to the golf team. I expect to play in a lot of tournaments at Penn State.”

MORRISTOWN, NJ - Atlantic Health System, a leading provider of health care in New Jersey, today celebrated a decade of excellence after it was recognized among Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For®,” ranking number 74 in its tenth consecutive year on the prestigious annual list.

It is the only health care delivery system from New Jersey, and the top-ranked New Jersey ...

NEPTUNE, NJ - The Governor Livingston girls swim team made their mark on Thursday night when they became the first team in the program's history to win back to back sectional championships, beating Metuchen 118-52 in the Central Public C group final at the Neptune Aquatic Center. The team triumphed over Red Bank Regional last year to win their first sectional title in over a ...

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - Let's set the stage -- No. 5 seed Gov. Livingston boys swim team were in a tight battle against No. 4 seed Rumson in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA Central Group C Championships last week -- and every single point was essential in the 88-82 GL victory. It came down to the last relay of the meet when the 400 free relay team, led off by ...

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - On Valentine's Day, Autumn Lake Healthcare at Berkeley Heights had a special celebration with a singer that entertained and serenaded the residents with songs of love, family and "boogie-woogie" blues.

At times, the rhythm of the music got residents moving and tapping their hands on their laps and a few stood up to dance. Music ...

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - Each of the elementary schools in Berkeley Heights participated in "Salute Your Safety Valentine" by walking to school as part of the monthly walk to school "Safe Routes to School" event and showing their love and appreciation to their crossing guards by handing them Valentine's Day cards and gifts yesterday.

CHATHAM, NJ - A group of pro-cannabis activists came to the Borough of Chatham Council meeting on Monday night and used the public commentary portion of the meeting to ask the council to support a marijuana dispensary in town.

The advocates, who say they have attended more than 80 town meetings to inform about the benefits of medical cannabis, mentioned the 1936 movie "Reefer ...

Fellowship Helping Hands, the home care agency operated by Fellowship Senior Living in Basking Ridge, has received the 2018 Best of Home Care® – Provider of Choice Award from Home Care Pulse, announced Liz Fandel, vice president of Home Community Based Services at Fellowship Senior Living.

Fellowship Helping Hands is a New Jersey licensed home care service for older and ...

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ—New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS) invites young musicians in grades 3-11 to attend open rehearsals for Bring A Buddy Week, March 4-8 at 570 Central Avenue in New Providence. Participating students will observe the first half of a rehearsal. Students can visit any ensemble based on their grade and experience level. Students who do not have a friend in an ensemble can still ...

FANWOOD, NJ -- Following the mass shooting in Florida this week, the Union County Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7:00 p.m. at the LaGrande Park Building in Fanwood.

"Every life cut short by gun violence -- that somehow becomes a statistic -- is tucked away in our hearts, never to be lost," wrote Patti ...

With summer just around the corner, it will be hard not to look out the window and dream of warmer days and cool, crystal clear pools that are ready for swimming and splashing. With the Berkeley Heights Community Pool at the YMCA early bird registration currently open, signing up sooner will save money and give you something to look forward to once the summer sun hits! Since 1964, the Berkeley ...

My name is Patti Murgo. I am Committeewoman in Linden’s Eighth Ward. I am a life-long DEMOCRAT, a party activist, and a believer in what being a democrat stands for. Last week, I received a piece of literature from our municipal chairman, Nick Scutari, regarding his “plans” for the County Democratic Party if he is elected county chairman.

Mayor Colleen Mahr has been a pillar of consistency in Union County for the last 20 years, having devoted her life to public service. There is no one more qualified and capable to lead us as our next Union County Democratic Committee Chair.

Colleen has mentored, coached and supported countless candidates running for office in Union County, all across our 21 ...

CHATHAM, NJ - A group of pro-cannabis activists came to the Borough of Chatham Council meeting on Monday night and used the public commentary portion of the meeting to ask the council to support a marijuana dispensary in town.

The advocates, who say they have attended more than 80 town meetings to inform about the benefits of medical cannabis, mentioned the 1936 movie "Reefer ...

Aesop’s “The Tortoise and the Hare” is a perfect metaphor for the way people go about investing their money. As you recall in the fable, the hare brags about his ability to beat the tortoise and is overly confident about winning. In the investment world, the hare is someone who thinks he or she is great at selecting “winners” and avoiding “losers.” The ...